Improvement in plaiting-machines



, UNITE STATES 1-; QFFIGE.

EDWARD NICKERSON AND JAMES K. BLANOHARD, OF LYNN, MASS SAID BLANGHARDASSIGNORTO SAID NIOKERSON.

IMPROVEMENT lN PL AITING-MACH'INES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. {87,299, dated February13, 1877; application filed July 22, 1876.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD NIGKERSON and JAs. K. BLANCHARD, of Lynn, ini the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,

have invented a new and valuable Improvementin Dress-Plait Apparatus;andwe do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is arepresentation of a plan view of ourdress-plait apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a. transverse vertical sectionalview of 'the same.

This invention consists in a device for folding plaits in dresses andother articles of apparel, and is constructed and operated ashereinafter fully set forth.

In the annexed drawing, A designates a sheet of paste-board, or similarflexible material, forming the bottom piece of the device. B B aretransverse inclined ribs, of the same material, arranged on the surfaceof said sheet and secured thereto, but capable of folding down fiatthereon,.when pressure is applied or said sheet is rolled from thebottom upward. O O are wooden slats, which lie flat on the surface ofsheet A, filling the spaces between ribs B B. D D are longitudinalcords,

which pass through the ends of ribs B B and over the ends of slats U G.F is the fabric to be folded into plaits.

The slats O O are removed longitudinally or raised sufiiciently to allowfabric F to be laid upon the sheetA and ribs B. Then slats C O arereplaced in their former position, and

the fabric F is drawn taut over said ribs'and under said slats. Saidribs are then pressed down upon said slats, and their coinciding edgesmake the plaits required, each plait exactly corresponding to one of theribs B. As these ribs are equal and regular, the plaits will be equaland regular also.

When the sheet A is made, as above described, of flexible material, theplaiting may be effected by simply rolling the device from the bottomupward; but it may be made of sheet metal or other inflexible material,in which case external pressure must be applied to the ribs while thesheet lies flat.

We may use for the sheet or ribs, or both, paper, india-rubber, or anyother material suitable to the purpose of the device; also, wires or anyequivalent contrivance may be substituted for cords D D. The ribs andsheet may be made in one piece or separate,

as may be preferred; but the ribs must be attached to the sheet, so asto be capable of standing upright or being folded down at will.

'What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A plaiting device consisting of the combination of sheet A, ribs B,slats G, and cords D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the above we have hereunto subscribed ournames in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD NIOKERSON. JAMES K. BLANOHARD. Witnesses:

N. M. HAWKES, HENRY G. OLIVER.

